Newcastle United lead Aston Villa in Christopher Nkunku race

Newcastle United have reportedly moved ahead of Aston Villa in the race to sign Christopher Nkunku, with a deal worth approximately €30 million under discussion.

The French forward’s future has become uncertain after AC Milan decided not to continue with his loan spell.

Nkunku joined Milan hoping to revive a career disrupted by injuries and difficult seasons at Chelsea. However, he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at San Siro, prompting the Italian club to rethink their attacking plans and bring his temporary stay to an early end.

The 28-year-old previously enjoyed his finest football at RB Leipzig, where his goals and creativity made him one of Europe’s most exciting attackers. Since moving to the Premier League in 2023, though, repeated fitness problems and tactical complications have prevented him from consistently reproducing that form.

Newcastle see Nkunku as an opportunity to add greater depth and quality to their attack before a demanding season involving domestic and European competition. Manager Eddie Howe could offer the former Paris Saint-Germain academy player the platform needed to regain confidence and rhythm.

Aston Villa had been strongly linked with the transfer but now appear to have fallen behind. Chelsea are also monitoring developments because they reportedly retain a sell-on percentage from Nkunku’s previous transfers.